Freddie ALWAYS makes me smile!

Most Excellent! (And it's a little big, my favorite size for a sweatshirt.)

A blog comment or FB note from Freddie….heck, seeing him in person, guarantees a smile from me. He makes me laugh too – not something I do easily.

The other day I came home to find a plastic bag wrapped to my truck handle. Hmmm. Almost sure it wasn’t dog droppings someone was gifting me, I brought it into the house and opened it up…it was from Freddie Dunn, former TU blogger extraordinaire and Master of SevenTownHound, a website with all kinds of information about Knox, Coeymans, Rensselaerville, Bethlehem, New Scotland and Westerlo Townships.

Here’s the note he e-mailed me a bit later:

Today’s Odyssey!

Heading for Indian Ladder Farms this afternoon, I took a slight detour through Guilderland Center, NY. After all, I’d been hiding a roll of purple or pink duct tape for nearly a year, so my wife didn’t use it for packing tape. Figured it was time to give it to the Keeper in case one of her critters needed it this fall.

But true to form whenever I stop by, the hard working Keeper was either napping, out running shopping chores, or saw me coming and was hiding.[Napping? NAPPING? Haha. I was picking up my daughter from school and then marketing. Napping would have been cool, though!]

Knocked on the castle door, but no answer. Walked the pathway to the big barn parking area and back to where I had parked in the house driveway. No humans in sight. Having been around farms once or twice in my lifetime, I didn’t go near or in any of the barns.

Now, I know the Keeper had been busy and deserved a break, (not the McDonald’s type, because I know she hums “Old MacDonald had a Farm” all day long), because all the critters were happy and content and quiet as though they had just been fed.

How content were they? The donkey boys just stood and watched me. The chickens, save for what I think was a Silky rooster who crowed at me, just sat around like lawn ornaments. The ever adorable llamas just looked quietly at me and walked to their respective border fences to get a better look at the handsome stranger wandering about, but not a sound out of them. Oh, how I wanted to go give them a hug and get a couple of big kisses.

Actually, I was a bit surprised (and disappointed) that I wasn’t pecked and honked at by the trained attack goose, Miss Maisey. That charming girl ignored me like yesterday’s newspaper.[That 'charming girl' could smell the farmer in you, she knew you fit in here just fine....I trained her, you know.]

Back at my vehicle, I scratched the hat rack on my shoulders, and figured I’d leave the tape anyway. Still mindful that the last package I had left almost ending up in the trash, I pondered the situation.

Parked next to me was a red pick-up truck. I found a plastic bag in my vehicle that I could put the tape in, and tie it to the door handle.

But for good measure, just so the Keeper can’t say I’m completely thoughtless, I decided to give her the shirt off my back, literally. Even though it been worn, I figured Teri would like it, and by accepting and wearing it, she would not have to pay the Initiation fee into the elitist of all unions, and the only one that I’m proud to be a member of; and I was rather sure that Teri would have no hesitations in joining, either. In fact, I think she’s secretly a member.

Now with my luck, never to be enhanced by being a member of that little known union, I probably tied the package on the door of some visitor’s truck and they went home with it, thinking it was a present from Teri in her infinite generosity.

Teri, hope you enjoy the sweat shirt. I acquired it at the Away store in Nassau, NY, many many years ago. I’ve outgrown it from snacking and it shrinking in the laundry. It’s probably big enough for you to wear over a Carhartt jacket. Hope I’m not a jinx leaving the tape. You’re even welcome to use the about story on a “slow news day”, if you want. And that fancy cell phone camera would do the shirt justice. Maybe you can share it with Kristi! Sounds like she might be eligible to join now.

Freddie

The fact that the shirt came off sweet Freddie’s back makes it all the more special! I am a lucky farmer – thank you again, Freddie, I will wear it proudly!

Hi Harper! If you click on the link over the duct tape sentence, that post will explain….but in a nutshell, my mini donkey, Bobby, had an abcess in his hoof last year that I had to treat, then wrap in a sock and cover with duct tape. Bobby is in the photo in the post – with boring gray duct tape over his hoof. Hope it doesn’t happen again, but if it does – thanks to Freddie – he will be quite fashionable!

25.Pssssssssssst Bobby! C’mere!! Did you know Duct tape now comes in colors????? Uh huh ! You COULD have had red, or blue, or yellow!!! Insist on it next time…but don’t tell who told you. ok? Comment by fencesitter

30.Fencesitter-Bobby wants purple. Great, now you said something and I have to go find purple duct tape for my donkey! (Cool!)
Freddie – Bobby thinks brown is as exciting as gray. I have to shop for purple.
@Amy – I’ll soak it and change the sock/tape daily until he stops limping. Although, he’s almost stopped, the drainage relieved the pressure, so he’s in good shape and on the mend. AND, he has NOT stopped or even slowed down his crazy play with Tommy, so not to worry, he’ll be fine for the Open Barn. I better get Sharpies so everyone can sign his tape Comment by Teri Conroy

And there’s also a reference to the Bobby and purple duct tape here in another post –
11.Oh, and Chip, Bobby[the donkey] said I could have the gray duct tape if I get him purple….I didn’t ask if I could share it with Rob, though.

Thank you again for another” feel good, uplifting, that there are good people in this world story”. We read so many stories that are negavite about people and what they do to others. A random act of kindness is always such a great thing to hear about. Peace and blessings.